Please refer to FIGS. 1-6 and to the Prior Art section of the Detailed Description herein where a prior art system is described in detail. The prior art system is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,694, issued to S. M. Garland on Feb. 23, 1993.
The existing telemetry protocol includes a basic transport capability for many applications such as meter reading, load shed applications, and other services from Utilities or Enhanced Service Providers (ESPs). However, for more robust applications, additional protocol information is required to deliver these applications. The following additional transport capabilities are required:
1. Switch alert of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) or voice equipment PA1 2. Activation of other switch capabilities PA1 3. A Barge-In capability PA1 4. A Broadcast capability PA1 After the CPE goes Off-Hook, the telemetry feature, acting as a transport, could turn the line side control over to another switch based application. The telemetry feature would also return Off-Hook to the COSU as an indicator the CPE has been alerted.
The telemetry protocol must continue to support two way initiated communication (to the CPE and from the CPE).